CLC International Family Encounter

The CLC World Executive Council in partnership with Comillas Pontifical University of Madrid, Spain, will be carrying out the International Formation Encounter  (IFE) on Family 2017 under the theme: “See how they love one another.” A lay Ignatian look at Family. In response to the call for a new family pastoral in Amoris Laetitia.   It is scheduled to take place on 16-21 July 2017 in Madrid, Spain.
Taking inspiration from Amoris Laetitia and availing deliberately of the Ignatian Spirituality heritage, CLC aims through this international encounter to:

• Share and deepen the universal experiences of family as a lay community, and strengthen the commitment of service to families as an Ignatian Apostolic Body.
• Broaden individual connections / networks on family ministries and knowledge.
• Identify and articulate immediate steps that can help the mission in the family frontier in national communities.
• Strengthen CLC as an Apostolic Body by forming a discernment group on family that can continue the conversations after IFE and move them into long-term action.

The path leading to the IFE. In Lebanon 2013, the World Assembly adopted “Family” as one of its four frontiers. They committed to act wherever discernment leads, to:

• Show openness, compassion, respect, and sensitivity to people who belong to diverse family realities.
• Create formation processes for couples and families, in collaboration with others.

CLC is committed to continue its efforts in apostolic networking and advocacy using the bottom up approach, and to share their experiences and good practices. It was also in Lebanon that the dream for an international conference for the CLC family was born.
It has been a deep consolation for the network to note that their discernment is attuned to the movement of the wider Church. Early this year, Pope Francis published his apostolic exhortation on Family, Amoris Laetitia, affirming this issue as a common mission of the Church.
It has also been a source of inspiration and wisdom as CLC moves forward. With the regional and national initiatives and its fruits, the CLC global family hopes that the IFE 2017 in July will deepen exploration of how the CLC identity and vocation engage family realities in today’s world.
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